“Okay, are you ready?” asked Jesse.
Alex leaned over quickly and gave Jesse a peck on the lips. “Now I’m ready,” he said with a smile.
The two sat down on Jesse’s sofa. “Let’s just go over our four trip scenarios one more time, so we are sure we cover all the points, and then figure out what information we still need to gather.” said Jesse.
“Alright,” replied Alex. “Scenario number one. The long weekend. Our suggestions for the long weekend are St. Louis and Kansas City.”
“Saint Louis,” said Jesse. “Things to see and do. The Gateway Arch, the Zoo, the Children’s Museum…Alex, I just don’t think that one is going to play well with the group.”
“Maybe not, but I’ve heard from adults who visited that it was really captivating for them as well.”
“Okay,” continued Jesse, “we’ll leave it in there, but I don’t think we’re going to have any takers on that one. Continuing on, Union Station, the aquarium, the botanical garden, history and art museums. Shopping at Saint Louis Galleria, Plaza Frontenac, Ikea. Nightlife, well, we’re a little light on that one.”
“I’m sure there are tons of good restaurants,” replied Alex. “I’ve heard there’s an incredible Italian restaurant in The Hill neighborhood, though I don’t remember the name. There have to be some clubs, gay and otherwise. And it’s Saint Louis, there has to be at least one blues club.”
“Ah, yes,” commented Jesse. “Alex would mention a music club.”
“Hey! It’s part of the culture and local color of the city!” replied Alex.
“I’m just screwing with ya,” said Jesse with a smile. “And you’re going to check into some ideas for hotels, right?”
“You betcha.”
“Okay, then, moving on,” Jesse said. “Kansas City. Harry Truman National Historic Site, museum, and library. The American Jazz Museum. Wow, what a surprise there. Science City at Union Station. The Crown Center. For shopping, we’ve got Country Club Plaza. For nightlife, we’ve got barbeque restaurants and, surprisingly, jazz clubs.”
“And I can look into hotels there as well,” added Alex, choosing to ignore Jesse’s remarks about jazz.
“Okay, then,” said Jesse. “Option two. A cruise. I still need to look further into that one. We’d probably depart from Florida, so I’ll get some updated pricing of flights.”
“Sounds good,” Alex said. “Check both Miami and Fort Lauderdale. I think most cruises leave from that part of the state. Well, I imagine some cruise ships leave from Tampa, so maybe you should check flights there, too.”
“Yup,” replied Jesse. “And I keep forgetting, I still need to check into that gay cruise you’ve heard about.”
“Yeah, I think people might be interested in that. Something different from a regular cruise if anyone’s been on a cruise before.”
“Okay, then,” commented Jesse. “Option three, Florida theme parks. We’ve got information on the four Disney parks, Universal Studios theme parks, and Sea World. I’ve already got the pricing together for different hotel and resort packages at both Disney and Universal. We decided to scrap Busch Gardens, since that’s not in greater Orlando – KISS-a-mee. I still need to check on flight pricing into Orlando.”
“It’s pronounced Kuh-SIM-me, not KISS-a-mee.”
“Whatever, Alex. You knew what I was saying.”
“Okay,” said Alex, again ignoring Jesse’s comment. “I’ve looked into Las Vegas. Well, I think everything except flights. I got a couple of ideas on different casino hotels, costs, and such, and how centrally located they are on the Strip. I’ve heard from people who’ve been there that you don’t want to be stuck way out on either end of the Strip. I’ve got a list of shows. And there are so many clubs and restaurants to pick from, I know we won’t have any trouble that way. Shopping, check. My only concern with Vegas is there may not be as much to do during the day, besides gamble. There are a few rides and things, and shopping, of course, but I didn’t see too many other activities.”
“I’m thinking that folks might just like to hang by the pool,” Jesse commented. “Or, don’t they have spas and the like there? I bet people wouldn’t mind a massage, mud bath, that sort of thing. I’ve never been to a spa, I’m just guessing.”
“No, I think that’s a good idea,” said Alex. “I’ve had a massage, but never gone for a spa treatment. I bet that sort of pampering would be right up the alley of some of the guys in our group.”
He continued, “I think we just present what we have, along with general ideas on costs. The most important costs are going to be airfare and hotels. But we should remind everyone that there’ll be costs for transportation, especially within Orlando and Vegas, if either one of those are the chosen destination, plus meals, plus activities, clubs, and the like.”
“Question for you,” said Jesse. “If it were up to you, which of these choices would you pick?”
“Either St. Louis or Kansas City,” replied Alex. “This is our first attempt at a group trip, and I feel that a local, drivable destination is probably a safer bet. You know, there’s no airline to deal with, because we’ll be driving our own vehicles, and we won’t need to worry about arranging local transportation, so we can be more flexible with scheduling. And if it all goes south, we won’t be out as much money.”
“It’s not going to go south, Alex. Have some faith. But to be honest, I kind of agree that Saint Louis or Kansas City is the best bet for our first time planning a trip.”
“Where have you traveled before, Jesse?”
“Oh, not too many places. My parents weren’t too big on traveling. We did go down to Texas and to the Gulf Coast. And you know I went to Seattle a few times. I’m not quite as well traveled as you are.”
“Well, what do you think about getting in a little more travel experience?” asked Alex.
“What do you mean?” Jesse replied with his own question.
“You know I’m going to Washington, DC next week. And I’m going to be there through Friday.”
“Where are you going with this?”
“Well, would you be interested in flying out and joining me? You could maybe come on Friday, we could see some of the sights on Saturday and Sunday, and then fly back together on Monday.”
“It sounds like fun, but won’t an airline ticket cost an arm and a leg?” asked Jesse.
“I can get you a ticket using my frequent flyer miles, so it’s no biggie. I think I’ll be able to do a weekly car rental, so we won’t have to pay for the rental car. And I’m sure I have enough points to cover the cost of lodging, provided we stay at the right hotel. So, the only other costs would pretty much be meals and costs for activities. And most of the stuff in DC is free. You know, the memorials, the Smithsonian museums, all those things.”
“Really? I didn’t know that.”
“So, are you interested?”
“You know? Yes, I am interested. I need to check with work to see if there’s no problem taking off next Friday and the following Monday, but I don’t see why there would be.”
“Cool!” said Alex. “I’m excited. Confirm with work, then let me know. I can make the airline reservation tomorrow. Is there anything you are really interested in seeing in DC?”
“I only have a vague notion of what’s there, Alex. You’d know better than me.”
“Okay. Well, for your first time in Washington, you should probably see some of the basics. The memorials on the mall, maybe Arlington, and one or two of the Smithsonian museums. Maybe on Saturday we could take one of those Gray Line tours. I’m pretty sure you’d get to see the memorials, the Capitol, and Arlington Cemetery on the tour. I wouldn’t mind that, either, since driving in DC is a bitch. Sunday, maybe the Air and Space Museum in the morning and the Museum of American History in the afternoon.”
“Have you seen all those places, though?”
“I was to a few of the memorials, the Capitol, and Arlington when I was in high school, not since. I was to the American History Museum a few years ago when I had to be in DC on a Sunday morning, but it’s so cool to see, I wouldn’t mind going again. And I’ve never been to the Air and Space Museum.”
He then added, “I’ll see about hotels, too. I always stay out in the suburbs when I’m there for work. Maybe I can find a hotel in DC that would fit into our plans well. I think the area around Dupont Circle is kind of a gay neighborhood, so maybe something around there would be fun. Or I can just extend my stay at the Comfort Suites in Woodbridge. That would save a few bucks. We can always take the train into the city and avoid driving for the most part, too.”
“Alex, I don’t want you to blow all your money and frequent flyer points on me, you know. If I’m going to do this, I want to pay my share.”
“Jesse, first off, spending money on you is not ‘blowing it.’ There really isn’t anyone, well, besides my kids, that I’d rather spend money on. Besides, this will be a pretty cheap vacation, anyway. I’ll have a few bucks left when we return to Des Moines.”
“You know what I mean, Alex,” replied Jesse. He leaned over and gave Alex a quick kiss, then said, “Oh, Alex. I’m excited already!” The two again kissed briefly before Jesse pulled away and asked, “I know we didn’t talk about it in advance, but what do you think about spending the night?”
“I hoped you were going to ask,” said Alex. “I’ve got my overnight bag in the car.”
“Alex, you naughty boy!”
-----
“Okay, gents. Are there any other questions?”
Alex and Jesse had just given their brief presentation on their trip ideas. It seemed that the long weekend in Saint Louis or Kansas City was the most popular idea, though Las Vegas also ranked highly. Jesse and Alex had agreed they’d send out a ballot to everyone in the group via email before a final decision would be made. Their presentation had been brief. Perhaps too brief, thought Alex, as the question period went on significantly longer than he’d expected. Everyone who’d come to Alex’s place seemed to think that their suggestions had sounded good, though, and both Alex and Jesse were happy when they’d received positive comments about their ideas and the time that they’d spent putting together the trip information. “Yes,” said Jesse, “but we’ve been working on this since before Thanksgiving. Here it is, the middle of February already!”
When Alex had suggested inviting everyone to his place for the vacation meeting and a party, he hadn’t considered the size of his house. When he’d received fifteen RSVPs, he suddenly realized that he really didn’t have a place to assemble that many people. Heck, he didn’t have that many chairs! Jesse had really stepped up to the plate, though, and came through with some creative ideas. Some rearranging of furniture and some borrowed folding chairs were all that was needed. Yes, the living room was a bit crowded, but they’d made it through. And now that the meeting was over, everyone would be able to spread out.
Once everyone who wanted one had a drink in hand, and hors ‘d oeuvres were set out, Alex and Jesse began to enjoy their guests. Alex had discovered that entertaining friends wasn’t too difficult if you had someone like Jesse to assist. They were chatting away with Matt and Sam when Eli approached Alex. “Hey, Alex, can I speak with you a second?”
“Of course, Eli,” replied Alex. “What’s up?”
Eli grabbed Alex’s elbow and pulled him into a corner where they could talk with a bit more privacy.
“I can’t believe you invited Ben,” said Eli. “Do you think that was wise? I mean, what does Jesse think about it?”
Alex was surprised over Eli’s concern. “Well, Eli, it would’ve been wrong to invite the whole group yet exclude Ben. I wasn’t even sure he would come. And as for Jesse, well, he knew about my past with Ben, including our hookup last year. And he certainly knew about Ben’s aborted attempt at a hookup at the last brunch gathering. We didn’t discuss it beforehand, but he’s certainly not said anything to me, and I don’t think he’s giving either me or Ben the stink-eye, so I don’t think it matters.”
“It’s just that, well, after what happened at the Grumpy Goat, I’m surprised, that’s all,” replied Eli.
Alex had been so wrapped up in the vacation presentation, then getting food and drink out for everyone, that he hadn’t been paying as much attention to the interactions between his guests than he could have. After hearing of Eli’s concerns, though, Alex decided he did need to pay more attention. He kept an eye on Ben, and over the course of the next ten minutes he saw Ben sitting quietly. When he’d attempted to join a conversation, the people holding that conversation suddenly went their separate ways. Alex concluded that after Ben’s antics at the most recent brunch outing, he’d been made a pariah of sorts. Alex thought it unlikely that the members of the group had coordinated their responses to Ben. Even so, the group seemed to be unconsciously excluding him. Alex mentally kicked himself for not noticing.
After seeing Ben being shut out of conversations, Alex found Jesse. “Hey, Jess?” he asked. “Do you think you could make sure everyone’s got drinks and snacks for a bit?”
Jesse simply nodded yes, then looked quizzically at Alex. Alex hadn’t noticed the look, though, as he turned and headed back to the living room. He found Ben sitting alone at one end of the love seat. Alex sat down at the other end.
“Hi, Ben!” Alex exclaimed, perhaps a little too enthusiastically. Despite knowing the group for several months, Alex still felt himself to be socially inept. Walking up and starting a conversation was still hard enough for him. In this case, however, Alex saw someone else struggling socially and wanted to help. This was most definitely out of his wheelhouse, though. “How are you tonight?”
Ben turned to Alex, a look of surprise on his face. “Oh, hi, Alex. Thanks for the invite.”
“What did you think of the vacation ideas?”
“Ah, well, I guess they sound good. I probably won’t go, though, no matter which option is finally chosen.”
“Can I ask why not?” Alex queried.
“Well, Alex, just look around. It doesn't seem like folks really want to hang with me anymore. I’m not going to go on a vacation with a bunch of people who ignore me.”
“Do you think people are still upset over what happened between you and me at brunch?”
“I don’t think that’s the problem, Alex,” said Ben. “I know that’s the problem.”
“The issue was between you and me, though. What happened at brunch didn’t affect the others. Besides, you’ve apologized, and I’ve accepted.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t think I was ever particularly liked by the group. It’s just that their dislike of me seems even more pronounced now.” Ben was now looking down at his hands, afraid to meet Alex’s gaze.
“Do you know why they think that?”
Ben looked up at Alex. His response was spoken with a sharp edge. “C’mon Alex. You already know. I like to hook up. Everyone else wants to settle down with that one special person. I have no real interest in being monogamous.” Ben again looked at his hands, folded in his lap. More softly, he said, “Sorry for the outburst. I’m just not good at fitting in.”
Alex was quiet for several seconds, trying to think of how he should respond. Not at all confident, he decided to press on and hope for the best. He put his hand on Ben’s shoulder as he spoke.
“More than one person has told me that you’ve hooked up with several people in the group. Matt confessed to me that he had. I don’t know who any of the others are, and I don’t necessarily care to know, either. To be honest, I don’t know if there are any others besides Matt and me. If, indeed, there are others in the group who you’ve hooked up with, I don’t see how they have any right to pass judgment on you. I know I’m speaking for Matt, and maybe he thinks differently than me, but I certainly don’t feel I have a right to think I’m, I don’t know, superior to you. It was my choice to fool around with you as much as it was your choice to fool around with me. It takes two to tango, so to speak, or in this case, it takes two to swap knob jobs.” Attempting to lighten the mood, Alex smiled as he finished his statement, but Ben, still looking at his hands, didn’t notice.
After a few seconds, he continued. “On one hand, I guess I can understand how you, uh, not being monogamous, might be off-putting to some, but on the other hand, it’s just one part of who you are. There’s more to you than your attitude towards sex and relationships. And let’s be honest. I’m pretty sure there are no virgins in this room. I bet everyone in this room has had more than one sex partner in their lifetime. For some, probably a lot more.”
Ben finally glanced up at Alex. He placed his hand over Alex’s, which was still resting on his shoulder.
“Thanks, Alex, I appreciate you chatting with me.” Ben forced a smile, which Alex returned.
After a brief pause, Ben asked, “Can I tell you something?”
“Of course.”
“Well, I know you really liked my pierced nipples,” said Ben.
“Quite honestly, still do,” Alex said with a smile.
“You know,” Ben added, “I think you’re the only one who’s ever commented on them. Granted, quite often they may not be seen by my hookups, but frequently they are. Seen, that is.”
Alex nodded, not sure where Ben was headed.
He continued, “Uh, I’m a little bit embarrassed to say this to you, but I guess I want to tell you, too. For the longest time, the reason I kept them pierced was in case I ran into you again.”
Alex’s mouth fell open. “You’re kidding, right?”
“Not a bit. After several years, I concluded that we wouldn’t ever meet up again, yet I left them pierced.”
“Wow,” said Alex. “Well, I am very glad I got to see them one more time. I was very happy to run into the rest of you, too. And I do mean all of you, not just your nipples and your very talented throat. Shit, did I just say that out loud?”
Ben smiled and giggled in response.
Just then, Jesse wandered over. He sat down on the arm of the love seat next to Alex.
Ben’s smile suddenly disappeared, replaced with a blush. He quickly pulled his hand off the top of Alex’s, returning it to his lap. Once again, Ben stared at his folded hands. Jesse, however, seemed unaware of Ben’s reaction. “Hi Ben. Having a good time?”
Ben glanced up. Tentatively, he asked, “Uh, you don’t mind me talking to Alex, do you? I wasn’t trying to get him to fool around with me, I swear.”
Jesse gave Ben a look of confusion, before smiling. “Don’t be silly, Ben. Alex made it clear that the days of you two hooking up are over. At least, it was clear to me. It was clear to you, too, right?”
“Yes, Jesse, it was very clear.”
“Then I don’t see why the two of you can’t chat with one another.”
“Okay,” said Ben, “which one of you is the good influence on the other?”
Both Alex and Jesse pointed at each other, then laughed. Jesse said, “I guess we just bring out the best in one another.”
“I guess so!” Ben commented. “I am clearly not an expert on relationships, but even I can see that you two complement one another. In a way, it almost makes me a little jealous.”
“Well,” said Alex, “I know he brings out the best in me.”
“Thanks, guys,” said Ben. “I appreciate the way you’re treating me.”
“Ben, do you think there’s anything we can do to make you feel more comfortable interacting with the rest of the group?” asked Alex.
Jesse gave Alex a strange look. Alex explained, “Ben feels like the rest of the group is treating him kind of like an outcast.”
“Why?” asked Jesse. “Because of brunch?”
“Yes, at least in part,” said Ben. “To be honest, though, I hadn’t felt super-welcome with the group before then, either.”
“I don’t know if this might be part of the issue, but you don’t seem to come to the activities too frequently,” said Alex. “Maybe people aren’t as friendly with you just because they’re not used to seeing you. I’m not the most socially gifted person, so it can be hard for me to interact with people. I think because I see some folks from the group on a more regular basis, I find it more comfortable to interact socially with them. I automatically gravitate toward them rather than folks I don’t already know or know well. Maybe something that simple might help.”
“Maybe,” conceded Ben, “but I still don’t think that explains everything. I really do think people look down on me because of the way I am.”
“That’s their loss, then,” replied Alex.
“Absolutely,” agreed Jesse. “If I can speak for Alex, we can make an effort to try and include you, you know, in conversations, whatever.”
“Yes,” added Alex. “You know, sit with us if you can at brunch. Seek us out. We can throw you a lifeline. That’s probably not the best term, but what I’m trying to say is, maybe we can help ease you into conversations. I think that may be all you need.”
“Just don’t sit next to Alex,” said Jesse. When Ben’s eyes widened at the comment, Jesse quickly added, “that was just a joke.”
“Thanks again, guys,” said Ben as he rose from the love seat. “If you’ll excuse me for a minute, I need to use the bathroom.”
“Any time, Ben,” said Alex in reply.
As Ben walked up the stairs, Jesse moved from the arm of the love seat to the place where Ben had been sitting. As he sat, Alex said, “holy crap, Jesse. Now I’m giving people social advice?”
“Alex,” said Jesse, “you’ve come a long way in the last few months, haven’t you? I really think you’re beginning to shed some of your shyness. This group has been good for your self-esteem, hasn’t it?”
“Maybe,” conceded Alex. “It certainly turned out to be good for my love life.”
Posted 1 February 2025